Materials and methods for the preparation of nanocomposites

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an isolable colloidal particle comprising a nanoparticle and an inorganic capping agent bound to the surface of the nanoparticle, a solution of the same, a method for making the same from a biphasic solvent mixture, and the formation of structures and solids from the isolable colloidal particle. The process can yield photovoltaic cells, piezoelectric crystals, thermoelectric layers, optoelectronic layers, light emitting diodes, ferroelectric layers, thin film transistors, floating gate memory devices, imaging devices, phase change layers, and sensor devices.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An isolable colloidal particle comprising an inorganic capping agent comprising a Zintl ion, said inorganic capping agent bound to a surface of a nanoparticle and substantially free of an organic capping agent. 
     
     
       2. The particle of  claim 1 , wherein the inorganic capping agent is selected from a group consisting of a polyatomic anion, a soluble metal chalcogenide, a soluble polyatomic metal chalcogenide anion, and a mixture thereof. 
     
     
       3. The particle of  claim 1 , wherein the inorganic capping agent further comprises an ion selected from the group consisting of As 3   3− , As 4   2− , As 5   3− , As 7   3− , As 11   3− , AsS 3   3− , As 2 Se 6   3− , As 2 Te 6   3− , As 10 Te 3   2− , Au 2 Te 4   2− , Au 3 Te 4   3− , Bi 3   3− , Bi 4   2− , Bi 5   3− , Bi 7   3− , GaTe 2− , Ge 9   2− , Ge 9   4− , Ge 2 S 6   4− , HgSe 2   2− , Hg 3 Se 4   2− , In 2 Se 4   2− , In 2 Te 4   2− , Ni 5 Sb 17   4− , Pb 5   2− , Pb 7   4− , Pb 9   4− , Pb 2 Sb 2   2− , Sb 3   3− , Sb 4   2− , Sb 7   3− , SbSe 4   3− , SbSe 4   5− , SbTe 4   5− , Sb 2 Se 3   − , Sb 2 Te 5   4− , Sb 2 Te 7   4− ,Sb 4 Te 4   4− , Sb 9 Te 6   3− , Se 2   2− , Se 3   2− , Se 4   2− , Se 5,6   2− , Se 6   2− , Sn 4   2− , Sn 5   2− , Sn 9   3− , Sn 9   4− , SnS 4   4− , SnSe 4   4− , SnTe 4   4− , SnS 4 Mn 2   5− , Sn 2 S 6   4− , Sn 2 Se 6   4− , Sn 2 Te 6   4− , Sn 2 Bi 2   2− , Sn 8 Sb 3− , Te 2   2− , Te 3   2− , Te 4   2− , Tl 2 Te 2   2− , TlSn 8   3− , TlSn 8   5− , TlSn 9   3− , TlTe 2   2− , and a mixture thereof. 
     
     
       4. The particle of  claim 1 , wherein the inorganic capping agent further comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of a transition metal, a lanthanide, an actinide, a main group metal, a metalloid, and a mixture thereof. 
     
     
       5. The particle of  claim 1 , wherein the inorganic capping agent further comprises a soluble metal chalcogenide selected from the group consisting of molecular compounds derived from CuInSe 2 , CuIn x Ga 1-x Se 2 , Ga 2 Se 3 , In 2 Se 3 , In 2 Te 3 , Sb 2 S 3 , Sb 2 Se 3 , Sb 2 Te 3 , ZnTe, and a mixture thereof. 
     
     
       6. The particle of  claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticle is selected from the group consisting of a nanocrystal, a nanorod, a nanowire, and a mixture thereof. 
     
     
       7. The particle of  claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticle is selected from a group consisting of AN, AlP, AlAs, Ag, Au, Bi, Bi 2 S 3 , Bi 2 Se 3 , Bi 2 Te 3 , CdS, CdSe, CdTe, Co, CoPt, CoPt 3 , Cu, Cu 2 S, Cu 2 Se, CuInSe 2 , CuIn (1-x) Ga x (S,Se) 2 , Cu 2 ZnSn(S,Se) 4 , Fe, FeO, Fe 2 O 3 , Fe 3 O 4 , FePt, GaN, GaP, GaAs, GaSb, GaSe, Ge, HgS, HgSe, HgTe, InN, InP, InSb, InAs, Ni, PbS, PbSe, PbTe, Pd, Pt, Ru, Rh, Si, Sn, ZnS, ZnSe, ZnTe, Au/PbS, Au/PbSe, Au/PbTe, Ag/PbS, Ag/PbSe, Ag/PbTe, Pt/PbS, Pt/PbSe, Pt/PbTe, Au/CdS, Au/CdSe, Au/CdTe, Ag/CdS, Ag/CdSe, Ag/CdTe, Pt/CdS, Pt/CdSe, Pt/CdTe, Au/FeO, Au/Fe 2 O 3 , Au/Fe 3 O 4 , Pt/FeO, Pt/Fe 2 O 3 , Pt/Fe 3 O 4 , FePt/PbS, FePt/PbSe, FePt/PbTe, FePt/CdS, FePt/CdSe, FePt/CdTe, CdSe/CdS, CdSe/ZnS, InP/CdSe, InP/ZnS, InP/ZnSe, InAs/CdSe, InAs/ZnSe, and a mixture thereof.